2xAA Light for Mountain Bike

I'm looking for a high lumen 2xAA flashlight for my bike, one I can use my Eneloops in. Are there any XP-G R5 lights out there for MBs?. Which ones do you guys use?. Should I be concerned about vibration's and bumps as they might damage the Eneloops?.

I am not too sure on AA lights, but for MTB lights try over at mtbr.com. Dedicated mtb lighting forum there

I can recommend the Fenix LD20 [I use the very similar older model L2D], and the EagleTac P10A2. I use TwoFish Lock Blocks to mount them to the handlebar. Both have a good general purpose beam - a good mix of throw and flood. Never had any problems with damage to the batteries. I find the EagleTac to be easier to change levels on the fly as you twist the head, as opposed to pressing the clicky on the Fenix, but both are good for the task. I would think the Quark 2 AA would also be good, but I haven't used one.

I should say I'm looking for one in the $80-$100CAN range, as I have to pay extra for shipping. I was looking at this light, the JETBeam JET-III ST BVC but it uses one 18650 Rechargeable Lithium Battery. That's just gonna cost me more money, as I don't have a recharger for them (I also don't know much about them atm). For my Eneloops I have the Powerex/Maha MH-C9000. The JETBeam light comes with a really nice looking bracket to mount on the handlebar.

4Sevens.ca has the same lights as 4sevens.com, so they should have the Twofish Lockblock-right?

The batteries themselves shouldn't be damaged, as long as they're not too loose in the flashlight (rattling around is ok, dropping them from 10 feet is not).

I use lock blocks for my lights when biking, both on my handlebars and on my helmet. I use an older, Jet-3 Pro ST (BVC) with a neutral white XRE-Q3/5A emitter in it on my helmet, and one of my Quark XPGnw heads on an 18650 body on my handlebars as my primary lights for biking. I have use a Quark AA^2 for biking as well, which also work very well.

My preference is to have a floody light on my bars pointed directly in front of my front wheel, so I can always see what's directly in front of my bike, and a thrower on my helmet so I can see a good distance downrange, wherever I look. I also like to put my H51w on my helmet as well, so that when I'm off the bike and need light, I have that to use instead of the total overkill of my Jet-3 Pro.

The Fenix LD25 works fine for me.
I use it with the Fenix bikemount.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-LD25-LD40-(and-some-other)-outdoor-beamshots

I use either a Fenix LD20 R4 (2xAA), or a 4sevens Quark turbo R5 (2xAA), in combination with a bike light I have. I use twofish lock blocks, they work great. I am commuting rather than doing offroad mtb. But its still pretty bumpy out there.

The LD20 is much floodier than the quark turbo. If I was only going to have one light I would pick the Quark turbo because it has about the right about of flood and throw for my needs. Best of all is having several lights of course That way I aim one at the ground closer in (with the spot covering about 5-10 meters away) and the other almost horizontal. Having 2 different coloured lights helps in "being seen" by motorists, IMO over having 2 identical lights. My ld20 is a bit blu-ish, and the quark is a nice white.

I wouldn't be concerned about them being damaged on the bike by bumps. I haven't had any problems yet, they are pretty tough and there's nothing in them to damage like an incandescent bulb. I was more worried about the batteries being bumped around and degrading faster, but I have been tracking those on a maha c9000 and they are still at 100% capacity 9 months later cycling 125km a week.

If you are doing serious offroad mtb in the dark, I don't think a single 200 lumen light would be enough (well, at least not for me!), I'd want at least 2 with one on my helmet so I can see where I look, not just straight ahead. I would personally have the throwier light on my helmet too.

Not sure whether you have noticed, but we have a separate Bicycle section here. However (please correct me if I'm wrong) I think you have in mind a regular light that you can mount on your bike, rather than a dedicated bike light.

If you are looking for a dedicated bike light, just post here and I'll move the thread for you.

For the last 3 years I have been using 2 Fenix L2D Q5s (2xAA) mounted on the Fenix bike mounts. Both the flashlights and eneloops have held up fine against all the vibrations from trail riding.

There are lots of companies making 2xAA lights.
Fenix
Thrunite
Lumapower (Vantage i think is the model)
Peak LED can put a 2xAA body on a lot of their lights.

All of them less than 80 bucks.

I put several hundred MTB miles on an iTP SA2 . The side switch is easy to mode change on the fly . (-low-med.-high-fast strobe ).

I didn't notice the Bike section DM51. I'd prefer a regular light that can be mounted securely to the bike.

GunnarGG said:

The Fenix LD25 works fine for me.
I use it with the Fenix bikemount.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?295933-Fenix-LD25-LD40-(and-some-other)-outdoor-beamshots

Click to expand...

Seems like a good combo and isn't too expensive either. :thumbsup:

Edit: I read the reviews for the Fenix Bike Flashlight Mount on Amazon and their not too positive.

Dry-cell said:

Seems like a good combo and isn't too expensive either. :thumbsup:

Edit: I read the reviews for the Fenix Bike Flashlight Mount on Amazon and their not too positive.

Click to expand...

This is a copy & past from a post I made in another thread:

"About that Fenix bikemount: It seems that most people suggest the Twofish bikemount and maybe that is the best. It is said that Fenix mount rattles and that is correct. The lower part mounts to the bike very solidly and the light mounts in the upper part very solidly but the upper and lower part rattles in relation to each other. I put two pieces that I cut from a creditcard between the upper and lower part and then some tape around it. It's very solid now. Maybe the twofish block is just as solid without modding and than a better buy, I just havn't tried it."

As I said then it's very solid, I took a ride this evening and it worked fine.
However there is a newer Fenix bikemount that I have heard is solid without my little "creditcard mod". http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?281247-New-Fenix-bicycle-flashlight-mount-(-AF02-)

Dry-cell said:

I'd prefer a regular light that can be mounted securely to the bike.

Click to expand...

OK, that's fine - we'll leave the thread here!

The newer fenix is less convienient when removing the torches, but offers the ability to traverse your light.

I recommend either the Fenix 2AA models or the Quark Tactical. The nice thing about the tactical is that you just program the two highest modes and don't have to fool with other levels. The nice thing about Fenix is the second highest mode is brighter than the Quark.

Both these will eat a set of batteries in about an hour on Max. High mode runs a lot longer but may not be enough light with only one light. Both lightsk can overdrain a set of Nimh if you run them to long.

It would be advisable to run at least two lights at all times while MTB. Set a floody one on a lower mode closer too you and a throwier one pointed further down the trail on a higher setting.

The 2fish blocks are OK on the road but will jiggle on rough terrain.

Thanks for all suggestions, I'll have a good idea of what I'll need in the near future. I'll probably get a end up getting an XP-G R5 light (neutral white maybe) with easy and simple to use UI like the Klarus ST20 (240 lumens). The TwoFish Flashlight Holder looks pretty good and I can un-mount the Flashlight easily unlike the Fenix.

I just plan on using my bike on paved roads, gravel and bike path only.